About two months ago for a variety of reasons I decided to get rid of TV (note that I did wait until after football season was over). Everyone has their vice right? But for me it went back to looking more closely at my life and living more intentionally. Although I didn’t watch a whole lot of tv I would find myself turning it on and watching things that after an hour I wondered… did I really need to know which flat they chose in London, or what the final outcome of the Extreme Makeover was? And all watching the Food Network all it would do is make me hungry… and I wasn’t working on things that were truly feeding me. Right now I am focusing on saving money, on putting my time and energy into things that deserve them and I realized TV didn’t fit for me anymore. After getting sick and not turning it on for a few days I decide to take the plunge and I decided to make it into a fun experiment and get rid of TV, at least for the summer.

Giving up TV for the first week or so was a bit tough because it is so instinctual to come in the house and turn it on, “catch up” on the day and what I missed. But I realize that with all of the access to news online and listening to NPR I am still up to date with current events. I also worried about whether or not I would have something to talk about with certain people if we didn’t share our stories of the most recent episode of X show… but I am realizing that we are having better conversations about ourselves rather than some other stranger’s life.

Sometimes there is an echoey silence when there isn’t radio or TV on to fill it. So it started me thinking about silence, and what would happen if I truly befriended silence, and thus the 40 Days of Silence was born.

I have been reading and writing more, I have been listening to more music, I have been getting more restful sleep, I have been working out more, I have been praying and meditating more, I have been outside more, I have enjoyed my silence more, and one of the unexpected benefits is that I am more content. When I do go online to watch my shows that I watch I do so intentionally, with the purpose of enjoying them, not as a default setting or as filler.

What has brought me the most peace is not having the constant underlying reminders of what I “need”, what I “can’t live without” and how I don’t “measure up” – the empty promises IF I got this certain product or service my life would be amazing. The average American consumes over 3,000 ads per day, between radio, TV, billboards, newspapers, online etc. and it seeps into our subconscious coloring our opinions of ourselves and our lives.

Another unexpected benefit is that I have been having some great conversations as a result of this little experiment. Turns out several of my friends have done this at the same time without really talking about it, and I have yet to find one that wishes they had it back. It also has created some great conversation about what role the TV plays in our lives. And for many it isn’t about cutting it out completely so much as it is being more mindful about it, for many it isn’t something they want to consider but the talk of an experiment to change something inspires them to think of some other experiment they have been toying with but haven’t yet done.

What experiment would push your comfort zone? What kind of experiment could create more space for you to follow your dreams, to invite more fun and joy into your life, to create deeper relationships? What kind of experiment could get you out of your rut and into your radiant life?

🙂 Thanks Jacqueline… yes, it is amazing what I no longer even think about buying just in the short time I have let go of the TV! Which is really one of the other pieces that I have been surprised by… I still will watch shows online from time to time- but I really appreciate watching so many fewer ads.

I love this post, Erica! And what amazing timing from you and Kristin both! I went for years without watching much at all and didn’t miss it. Then somehow, over the last two years it’s crept back into my life. And I honestly think it’s added to the depression that I suffer from, espcially in the winter months! First I got hooked on Criminal Minds, which is really do like, but then I started DVR-ing shows I had missed. When I started having bad dreams, I realized it was time to watch no more than one episode a week; that did help with the nightmares. But then I got hooked on the Home and Garden channel and starting looking around at all that was wrong with my house! Again, the DVR thing. About a week ago I was feeling bad because I hadn’t done any of the things I keep saying I want to do; write, take pictures, make jewely, read, and even learn Photoshop. Then I figured out how many hours I was just sitting, watching TV, and it was a revelation, to say the least, and not a pleasant one! One problem I have is that as an at-home medical transcriptionist, after typing on the computer all day I feel my brain is burned out and would just sit on the couch, mindlessly watching the televsion. OMG! I’m not sure I can quit cold turkey, but have cut down considerably the amount of time it’s on. And your 40 Days of Silence emails have really helped. So I’m going to join you in your grand experiment and hopefully get my life back!!! Thank you and many hugs!

Oh Tina I am going to be so excited to hear where this takes you!! And so glad to hear that the 40 Days of Silence has been helping too :). It is fun to hear what people’s responses are and what it has caused them to look at in their lives, what changes, what additions etc.

And yes, when Kristin had e-mailed out this trust note I immediately thought the same thing… what perfect timing I was just going to write a blog post and she put a visual to what I wanted to talk about! That is something I am finding so amazing in living a life that is more intentional there seems to be more and more instances of perfect timing :).

[…] An Erica Experiment: Saying Goodbye to TV… This post by Erica Staab, one of my new favorite amazing women, combines three of my favorite things: Erica Staab, Kristin Noelle (check her out, she’s also amazing), and the mindful TV viewing, digital detox revolution. Eric and I gave up regular TV for the last time in 2004, and it was one of the smartest, best things we ever did. Even if you don’t want to give it up completely, it’s good practice to do so for a week and see what you might notice or learn, about yourself or your life. It just so happens that Danielle LaPorte’s burning question for this week is “What would you like to stop doing?“ […]

Sooo true! I think often we think if we do something it has to be completely, or forever instead of realizing it can be something we do simply for a day, a week, or whatever we decide. Something I am continually reminded of as I release my perfectionism 🙂